arcadia
CMS
nature preserve

It is hard to understand the importance of the preservation of
three miles of Lake Michigan shoreline unless you have actually
strolled the beaches and bluffs north of Arcadia in southern Benzie
County. This stretch of beach is one of the most beautiful,
untouched areas in the Midwest -- or for that matter, the country --
comparing in majesty with the high dunes of the Sleeping Bear
National Lakeshore.

You could walk this beach for 12 miles to the town of
Elberta and never see another person, just the sun, the waves and
the dune bluffs rising hundreds of feet.
Inspiration Point, overlooking Arcadia and the beaches, is the
highest point on the Lake Michigan cost.

A stop at the scenic over look will lead to a climb of 124 steps
and the reward of a breathtaking view of the lake. Located at the
southern edge of the CMS/Arcadia Nature Preserve, the area provides
space for hikes through 6,000 acres and two miles of shoreline.